How drivers can adapt to 2026 rules

How drivers can adapt to 2026 rules

Williams boss James Vowles says there is still time to make the 2026 cars less demanding for drivers. The new rules will change both the chassis and engines, with electric power making up almost half of the output, so managing energy will be much harder. Some drivers struggled in early simulator tests, but Vowles says the cars feel easier after more practice and will improve before the season starts. He also thinks overtaking could become easier with new active aerodynamics and a manual override mode replacing DRS.

Click here to read the full article by Filip Cleeren (motorsport.com)

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Winners and losers from Watkins Glen

Shane van Gisbergen won at Watkins Glen by 11.1 seconds, his fourth straight road course win, and became the first driver to win four road course races in one season. Trackhouse Racing had all three cars in the top 10 for the first time, with wins and strong finishes from Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher, William Byron, and Chase Briscoe. Kyle Larson experienced a mechanical problem, visited the garage early, and finished last, which extended his poor run on road courses this year. Josh Berry and Ty Gibbs also had tough races, as they placed 35th and 33rd and saw their poor results get worse.

Click here to read the full article by Dustin Long (nbcsports.com)

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Lia Block wins Boone Forest Rally L4WD class

Williams F1 Academy driver Lia Block has won the L4WD class at the Boone Forest Rally and taken third place overall. The 18-year-old, who became the youngest American Rally Association champion in 2023, achieved the result in her first rally in a year alongside co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino, with whom she has a perfect podium record. Block is in her second and final season in the all-female F1 Academy and must now decide whether to continue in single-seaters or return to rallying. The daughter of late rally legend Ken Block says the shift from rally to Formula cars has required her to completely change her driving style.

Click here to read the full article by Lydia Mee (au.motorsport.com)

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NASCAR power rankings after Watkins Glen

Shane Van Gisbergen won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen by more than 10 seconds, his fourth road course win of the season. The win put him back in the power rankings at ninth and moved him to third in the playoff standings, while Denny Hamlin dropped to second after another bad finish. William Byron took the top spot in the rankings for the first time this year after he won at Iowa and finished fourth at Watkins Glen, which gave him a big points lead. Kyle Larson had more problems with a brake issue and finished outside the top 25, which dropped him to his lowest ranking of the season.

Click here to read the full article by Clay Sauertieg (brobible.com)

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How Red Bull’s ties with McLaren improved after Horner’s departure

Laurent Mekies said Red Bull now has a good relationship with McLaren, even after their tense rivalry in recent years. Problems arose when false rumors claimed McLaren was cooling its tires with water, sparking public arguments between Christian Horner and Zak Brown. Mekies agreed with Brown that things are now better and said he can keep racing battles separate from working together off the track. He added that he gets along well with other team bosses and believes all teams should collaborate with the FIA and F1 to help improve the sport.

Click here to read the full article by Jack Oliver Smith (nbcsports.com)